Written Narration

This year, we started including one written narration a week since my dear son (ds) is turning 10 this December.

Back when I was using grammar textbooks in our homeschooling, my ds dreaded writing assignments. He often writes a very short paragraph and if I asked him to add more, it ends up in frustration. He would rather draw what's in his mind rather than writing it down.

I'm delighted to know that CM doesn't start with formal writing at the age of 10. Grammar is best saved for later years, and there should be minimal written work in the elementary years, phew! What a great relief for me.

Before, I thought if you want to be a good writer, you must practice writing. You need to write and write and write. But I was completely wrong! I've learned that in order to be a good one, you need to fill your minds with great and stimulating "ideas". Ideas that will make us think and sparks with great mins. The ideas they get from the book once they own it can then be put in writing.

We read about Benjamin Franklin and we've learned that he loves to read a lot. He worked as an apprentice in his brother's printing shop and would love to read all the books around him. He also bought books from his savings. Aside from that, he wanted very much to become a writer.

"When he read something he liked especially well, he rewrote it in his own words." ~ Benjamin Frankin by D'Aulaire

Sounds like written narration, isn't it?

So, here's how his first written narration turned out:

First Written Narration

What we do is once he is done, he will read it to me. Most of the time, he will add more orally when asked with prompt questions. I don't correct his writings yet but we will get into that in the coming years.

Latest Written Narration

The other day he told me he doesn't want to do a written narration because it'll require him a lot of pages to write. I don't know if I should be happy with it or not. Nonetheless, I don't force it at this point and I love the fact that he is able to write this long. For boys, writing is often an effort for them and this is already a great achievement!